9 Ways To Save Money & Get Ahead This Month

Remember the feeling of finding spare change in the family sofa? A cache of glimmering coins, yours for the taking. The days of being wowed by a 78-cent treasure trove may be over, but finding hidden pockets of money hasn’t lost its thrill. Here are nine places that extra money could be hiding right under your nose. Ready to lift up the cushions and see what we find?

Mortgage Refinancing

Your mortgage payment is likely to be your biggest bill each month. The majority of your payment? Pure interest. Secure a lower interest rate, and you could slash your monthly payments. A Standard Refinance has one objective in mind: secure a lower interest rate. You may also qualify for the government-sponsored HARP program. During your refinance process, you’ll skip a month or two of mortgage payments and may even receive an escrow refund of taxes and insurance. With a Cash-Out Refinance, additional funds can be withdrawn to pay for absolutely anything, from debt consolidation and medical bills to travel or even a wedding.

PRO TIP: Regardless of the type of refinancing you’re considering, use a trusted comparison platform like LendingTree to make hundreds of banks compete for your business with a single inquiry. LendingTree estimates that their system saves the average homebuyer $24K over the course of a loan. It’s fast, it’s free, and there’s no obligation.

Home Equity Line of Credit

A HELOC harnesses your past investment in your home to free up cash for current expenses. The equity you’ve accumulated can be used for anything, including home renovation, debt consolidation, or even a wedding. Closing costs are low, as are interest rates. The only catch here? Variable interest rates can change.

Personal Loan

Unlike a HELOC, a personal loan doesn’t use your home as collateral. Instead, funds are secured based on your credit score, just like a credit card. As such, fair to excellent credit is required. But cash can be secured in as little as 24 hours, in amounts as high as $35,000. The funds are yours to spend on whatever you need, until it’s time to pay them back.

Auto Loan

Remember the root cause of your monthly mortgage payment? Interest. Auto loans are no different. Secure a lower interest rate on your auto loan and watch your monthly payments fall. You may also be able to stretch out the length of the loan to lower your individual payments. Motorcycle, boat, and RV owners: you’re in luck, too. If it gets you from point A to point B, you may be able to save some cash along the way.

Auto Insurance

Think you’re stuck in your expensive auto insurance policy? Think again. Even if you’ve prepaid for 6 months of insurance, you can get a refund upon cancellation. All the more reason to compare current auto insurance rates and ensure you’re getting the best price for what you need. After comparing rates, the average driver saved $451 per year. If you have homeowner’s insurance, bundling may save you even more. Homeowners Insurance

Now here’s an area that could benefit your bottom line today and in the future. For most people, homeowners insurance is a safety net they’ll never use. For them, finding a competitive rate is what matters most. But locking in a quality plan could also save you thousands of dollars in the future, should the regrettable rainy day arrive. Finding quality plans with competitive rates has never been easier than this intuitive online process. Customers who did compare reported average savings of $600.

Student Loans

Still paying for those tassels? For many student loan holders, interest rates have changed quite a bit since the time they graduated. Compare current rates to save big with a lower interest rate, or reduce your monthly payments by extending the length of your loan.

Credit Repair

As you’ve read our previous tips, you may be fighting a nagging feeling: the feeling that your poor credit has you painted into a corner. If that’s you, don’t worry. Credit Repair experts work on your behalf to get your credit back in shape, improving your FICO score and qualifying you for lower interest rates.

Business Loans

If you’ve been in business for more than a year with at least $100,000 in revenue, you could qualify for a competitive business loan. Business loans are ideal for purchases of assets such as equipment or building renovations. The best part? LendingTree’s platform applies the same proprietary system of home loans to the business world, making banks compete for your business with a single application.